Happy Birthday, Harry Potter!

Thirty-two years ago today, the Boy Who Lived was born.  A little while after that, he Lived.  Then he dealt with the Dursleys for some time, and then he went off to Hogwarts to have adventures with redheads and Hermione, and then he saved the world!

Now, it should be noted that yesterday was Neville Longbottom's birthday.  Neville, of course, is the Boy Who Voldemort Didn't ThinkWas Worth It.  And Cate didn't say a word.  For shame!

Now, uh, if we need something to covet so it doesn't look like I'm just celebrating a fictional character's birthday, you can buy this:

The Harry Potter boxed set in a charming trunk-shaped box!  How about it?  Also, look at how short Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is.  Goodness gracious.

Buy through Barnes & Noble for $114.07.

Maureen

You Fascinate Me

Things I'm not ready to let go: 1) the royal wedding. (HATERS GONNA HATE.) Hence the reason I chose to share this summertime-ready fascinator from Emma with you:

It's bright! It's slightly outrageous! It's totally useless in most contexts! But damn, it's wonderful. Wouldn't you just love to wear this to a late-summer wedding? I sure would, and I invite you to join me!

Buy through Samuel's Hats for $111.20.

Image via Samuel's Hats.

-Cate-

A Rosy Outlook

Few jewelry things fascinate me as much as rose gold. What is it? (Short answer: gold + copper + silver = rose gold.) Why is it so pretty? (Because, to me, yellow gold is not awesome, but white gold isn't enough sometimes.) Why don't more designers use it? (I HAVE NO IDEA.) Here's a nice example of how one jewelry company puts it to good use:

The irregularity of the bangles really allows the rose gold to shine (no pun intended). And because of the less-than-usual shade, these will add a punch to any outfit, particularly of the cocktail variety. If only I had some reason to wear them myself!

Buy a set of five through Gorjana for $132.00.

Image via Gorjana.

-Cate-

PS If you're looking for something extra-vibrant, check out Tiffany's Rubedo line, which is a proprietary alloy designed to, as they say on their website, reflect "the rose luminescence of a sunrise." It's really stunning, and I recommend at least glancing at it to see how rose gold appears at its finest.

BEARS. (But mostly music.)

Can I just talk about Brave for a minute?  I liked it.  I thought it was great.  It had magic and bagpipes and kilts and red hair and bears and wacky hi-jinx.  And music!  I loved the music.  But the music accompanied the beautiful animation!  And speaking of animation, Disney/Pixar you guys and hair.

I covet almost everything about this movie.  But I can't, like, scalp Merida.  That would be rude.  So I'll take the music.

Okay, I can't play the entire album for you.  But you can get it for yourself!

Buy through Best Buy for $11.99.

Maureen

Are We There Yet? Who Cares!

Today, we are participating in the ninth 20 Something Bloggers blog swap; the theme of this exercise is summer. Our blog swap partner is Stephanie of  Going with the Flo, and the topic is childhood summer vacations!

*** 

18 hour-rides squeezed into the middle seat. Not the most appealing view of a summer vacation.

But for me, the best part of my childhood vacations was the journey. As the baby of the family a number of the actual destinations are a bit hazy. Because I was so young when we first experienced places like Disney World I can recall Chip (of Chip & Dale fame) stealing my gum and family members sneaking away for Splash Mountain. (I was too young/short so I got to hang with Grams instead.)

On the other hand, I can remember waking up while it was still dark and jumping into a packed car. Hours into the drive we’d stop for a picnic breakfast at a rest stop park or a restaurant while my dad caught some Z’s in the car. We played car games, ate snacks and told stories.

At the time I’d rather be anywhere than that middle seat, but looking back I really did appreciate the closeness it brought to our family. Yes, it also brought fighting between siblings, but when I think of the trips I remember those drives.

Take time to enjoy the journey. It may be the strongest memories you create.

Stephanie Florence is a public relations girl exploring her first year in New York City. She can be found dancing, meeting new people and taking the approach of a student...always. 

Hardware Woes

Picture this: it's late May. I'm about to go to my friend's house. I haven't seen her in years, and I'm cranked up because the hardware on my shoes doesn't match the hardware on my handbag--I'm really that shallow, kids--when I realize there must be a blog post in this somewhere.

For the most part, I stick with silver or gunmetal hardware. From time to time, I go for brass or gold, though, if I really love the bag in question. But in this case, I wondered if the best solution might be a bag with the least hardware possible, so I don't have to worry about clashing with myself. Hence the Art Noir Small Karen from kate spade:

Of course, the pattern itself presents a problem--you'd likely need to carry this when wearing solid colors--but the lack of hardware is helpful if you have coordination problems like me. kate spade generally uses pale gold hardware, which, in certain lights, appears almost silver. And owning a similar bag from them myself (the Stevie, which is a less streamlined version of the Karen), I can tell you that this is a spacious model, great for days in the office or weekend trips. 

Buy through kate spade for $298.00.

Image via kate spade.

-Cate-

Can You Oxford to Be Unstylish?

Though it's still mid-July and the heat shows no signs of ebbing, it's not too early to survey your fall fashion options. In my case, I'm looking at shoes (what else?), and these wedges have caught my eye:

Yes, they are outrageously expensive, at nearly $1500. But! Look at the fantastic wood grain detail on the wedge, and how on-trend the oxford upper is. I can see myself--or, you know, people who can actually afford these--pairing them with a floaty knee-length skirt and a leather motorcycle jacket. 

How would you wear them?

Pre-order through Nordstrom for $1,480.00.

Image via Nordstrom.

-Cate-

"Oh God, Mother! Blood! Blood!"

Last night, my mother asked me if I will need a bath mat for the next big adventure in my life. I thought about it, and I said, I probably will. And then I pulled this up for her:

Cate is not a big fan of Alfred Hitchcock, but I am, and I want the horror movie bath mat! The shower curtain might be a little bit much for me.  I am easily frightened.  I watched It the other day and expected to find Pennywise the dancing clown on the porch.

I have my limits.  What are yours?

Buy through ThinkGeek for $19.99.

Image via the same.

Maureen

Owl Be Right There

I'm a big fan of owls.  They're silent, deadly hunters, but they never show up to a party all covered in blood.  They're classy.  I like a classy critter.  Also, they hang around the goddess Athena a lot, so you know they have good judgement.

So of course I want to wear them on my ears!

These barn owl earrings are made by Jabebo, which is a word whose meaning I don't know, and they are made out of recycled cereal boxes.  So they're green!  And they're these itty-bitty little pictures with all those owly details you love.

Buy a pair through Jabebo Earrings for $15.00.  (It's not a very high-tech site, but you'll figure it out.)

Image via Jabebo.

Toodles!

Maureen

The Mitten

I have a confession to make: I'm always a little bit homesick. Even though I've been living in North Carolina at least 75 percent of the time for eight years now, Michigan is never far from my mind. That's why I'm so drawn to this wonderful Mitten Board from Pure Detroit:

Of course, it's missing an entire peninsula, but the spirit behind it is good. According to the website, you can use it as a cutting board, serving platter, or decoration. Personally, I think it would make a charming cheese plate, or perhaps a nice place to display some Michigan cherries.

Whatever the use, I quite enjoy the look of it and think any true Michigander would agree!

Buy through Pure Detroit for $48.00.

Image via Pure Detroit.

-Cate-